Gundam 00, episode 26.

--Do not taunt me with random mecha shots, first episode! ...I am so not this franchise's target audience.--But hey, they've got lots of sparkly bits! I like sparkly bits! Er...GN particles, I mean. Yes. That's what I mean.--I see the back of Shirin's head, woo!--Dammit, am I going to have to dig up the manga, or at least summaries of it, to understand what's going on with some of the "new" characters? I hope not. I'm lazy.--Oh, there's a Homeland Security department. As if we needed more confirmation, after all the pre-season materials, that this "Federation" was the bad guys.--Oh my God, Soma is serving Sergei tea. That is moe to the extreme. Knowing that she will get to kick ass later (she had better) only makes it more delicious.--Need icon...of Soma sipping tea...need it so bad.--I am, however, hoping that this scene is not pandering to the Sergei/Soma shippers, who seem to be a relatively significant group in Japan. I don't care for the sake of my Soma/Allelujah OTP--I don't care if that's canon or not anyway so long as they get more awesome interaction--I just...want Sergei and Soma having more of a father-daughter thing.--Oh, no, poor Saji is getting dragged into drama that is totally beyond him again. He can never catch a break.--Tieriaaaaaa.--Louise is getting to be in a battle! And it's her first, so she's been practicing and preparing all this time, so it's not completely ridiculous and unrealistic! I am so happy.--Aw, Saji forcing himself through his miserable slave labor using the thought of Louise. I kind of ship it.--"So you just got involved, huh?" Story of Saji's life.--Scary spy/assassin Setsuna! I love it. Wait, is that really Setsuna? It could be Lockoff...but it doesn't sound like Miki Shinichirou...*checks her chibi Voice I-Doll* No, I'm pretty sure it's not Lockoff.--I barely understand half of what's going on but...that's okay...that is the way it always is with me and Gundam. So long as there is delicious drama and crack, I am good.--Fuck yeah Louise.--Oh man, and she's helping to attack the place where Saji is imprisoned. This is what I mean when I say "delicious drama."--Setsuna is going to save Saji, I'm calling it now.--I CALLED IT--Aw, and his voiceas he says Setsuna's name. So cute. They are clearly shippable, although I don't know if I ship it yet. Setsuna is...difficult to ship.--Delicious, delicious drama.--Saji's all "let's talk and be friends again! :D" and Setsuna is like "STFU BEING A BADASS HERE." When do they get a buddy cop movie?--Awww, Setsuna has incorporated his memories of Lockon into his motivation. Perfect.--A Gundam with a cape? Oh heavens, that is just too much.--Well, Setsuna may be more grown-up now, but he's definitely not more stable.--I am not so happy with Louise having a breakdown in the middle of a fight. But maybe that just means that when she does kick ass, it'll be even more satisfying. Right?--Aw yeah, fatty transsexual Gundam is back.--Setsuna's been working on his own all this while? That's interesting.--Feeeeldt! There you are, baby! Quick, hold the series hostage until they give you more screentime!--She looks so pleased to have Setsuna back. She's grown so much. ♥--Oh, so the group that Shirin is involved with is La Resistance. Excellent.--No, it's not true, I'm sure that Tieria has changed, and that it's all due to Lockon, and no shut up I am not a delusional yaoi fangirl augh nooooo.--And suddenly Saji's relationship with Setsuna is fraught!--That...probably should have been translated as "the person I loved was hurt." I'm pretty sure that in such a dramatic context, and describing a relationship we already know is romantic, "suki" means "love." But I only complain because it's gg and I like picking on them.--You're on thin ground here, flashback-chan. I'm still not happy about Kinue's fridging.--Aw, Louise is "Louise-sama" now.--Does he think that Louise is dead too, or was that just an unclear translation or moment of confusion? Judging by some of his earlier dialogue, I'm going to go with either #2 or #3. Preferably #2, because I like picking on gg.--Now would be a good time to have some sort of expression on your face, Setsuna.--Louise needs pills? She practically seems like Klueze in this scene. Now that's a weird mental image.--We had better get some more Louise development. This show sidelines female characters enough already without also making one of them a useless load in battle. But...I'm pretty confident. They wouldn't be showing us this stuff about her angst and trauma if there wasn't going to be a payoff down the road. I just hope that payoff isn't "Saji rescues Louise."--Whoa, Sumeragi is with Billy now? I'm not sure what to think of that.--Wow, Graham--I mean, "?"--you don't look like you just walked out of a badly-costumed opera at all.--"Being a Virgo has never made me happier"? What the hell does that mean? Should I be picking on gg some more, or is that just really difficult to translate?--Ooh, Smirnov family drama. Coupled with the promise of Soma getting to be badass again!--The way Soma says "Otou...san..." is adorable. I want her to be able to say that to Sergei herself by the end of the series. I want it so bad. Come on, Sunrise, it would only make the Sergei/Soma shippers happier--you know how J-fandom loves pseudo-incest.--Oh snap Allelujah. Please to be showing us his and Soma's disturbing yet delicious interactions.--The ED is so tantalizing. I want the rest of the season so bad now.--Interesting that the first question Tieria asks Saji is "why didn't you shoot Setsuna." Well, okay, not so much "interesting" as "entirely fitting with Tieria's usual priorities and understanding." He's changed, but not that much.--Oh, fuck you, Sunrise, that's not fair, that's not fair at all, you know I'm weak to dramatic smoking in fiction! Fuck you! But...it also serves as a way of showing us right off the bat how different Lyle is from Neil despite being about to be shoehorned into the same role, so...maybe it's actually a hint that they'll do something interesting with him...no, don't get my hopes up!--Okay, the fact that they're forcing him into the role, and that it is portrayed as such in the text, is interesting, although I really want to know what their motives are, and why Setsuna is okay with it.--Oh God, Feldt's expression in the preview. Want it so bad.

Okay you guys...I'm going to go make icons now. Immediately. I will edit them into this post when I am done. +_+